Explore Data Related to Compassionate Release

[jschulberg]

https://www.ussc.gov/research/data-reports/compassionate-release-data-reports

[jschulberg]

Compassionate Release is usually a medical reason.

Pursuant to section 3582(c)(1)(A) of title 18, United States Code, courts are authorized to reduce a defendant’s term of imprisonment based on “extraordinary and compelling reasons.” When considering any motion under section 3582(c)(1)(A) (commonly referred to as “compassionate release” motions), the court must find, after considering the factors set forth in section 3553(a), that “extraordinary and compelling reasons” warrant such a reduction and that any reduction “is consistent with applicable policy statements issued by the Sentencing Commission.”

When sentencing guidelines were passed, all second-look tools were scrapped except for Compassionate Release.

There's a current court case going to the Supreme Court

Data questions

• What are the characteristics of the original case which eventually gets compassionate release?
• Were some of the original cases racially disproportionate?

But I don't see compassionate release variables in the data.

[jschulberg]

• [ ] Aaron to reach out to his Professor to see if he has a contact at USSC who could send us the Compassionate Release data, since it's not currently public. If this doesn't work, we'd have to submit a FOIA request.